Spark-plug



R. R. HILL.

SPARK PLUG.

APPLICATION FILEDIMAR. 20, 1919.

Patnted July 6, 1920.

v w I 1A 7 y/ rh S w immvsr ROBERT E. HILL, OF VERONA, NEW JERSEY.

SPARK-PLUG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented uly 6,1920.

Application fiIed March. 20, 1919. 'Serial No. 283,749. r

7 To all whom, it may concern Be it known that 1, ROBERT R. HILL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Verona, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spark Plugs, of which the following is a specification.

lviy invention relates to spark plugs for hydrocarbon motors, etc., especially those of the type used on automobiles and other vehicles. The object of my'invention is to 'positively assure sparking between electrodes andto maintain their fiiciency by preventing fouling thereof by carbon accretions; and it consists essentially of an articularly suspended oscillatory neutral conductor interposed between the poles of the spark plug substantially as herein set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is a sectional elevation of a spark plug embodying the essential featuresof my invention, the part in section being taken upon plane of line 1-1, Fig. 2;

Fig. 2, an inner end view thereof,

Fig. 3, a central sectional elevation of a portion of the plug shown in Fi s. 1 and 2, taken upon plane of line 3-43, ig. 2;

Fig. 4, is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing a modification;

Fig. 5, is a section taken upon plane-of line 5-5, Fig. 4. Y

My invention is applicable to spark plugs generally, the essential feature being my insulated oscillatory neutral conductor 0, suspended in part in proximity to, and substantially between, the'opposed poles or electrodes 7?, and n. In the drawings, by way of illustrating the principle involved, my invention is shown as applied to a well known type of plug in which a central electrode 7), is insulated from the shell 8, by a sleeve i, of mica which extends beyond said shell; and my neutral conductor 0, is pivotally suspended from said insulating sleeve as shown more particularly in Fig. 3, the said conductor 0, being preferably formed of a suitable length of non-magnetic metallic wire having its ends 0, 0', bent over inward to form pivotal journals which rest in bearing holes formed for them in the insulating sleeve c',said bearing holes being in alinement with the central electrode p, so that the medial portion of the conductor c, is free to oscillate across said pole p, and to contact with either of the opposed electrodes 14, n, the inner ends of which are embedded in the" inner end of the shell .9,

as shown particularly in Fig. 1. V

In use the ordinary vibration of the motor 1s amply sufficient to cause the medial portion of my neutral conductor a, to oscil-;

late constantly between the opposed electrodes n, 11-, thereby practically doubling the sparking capacity of the plug because sparking will occur not only between the said conductor a, and the poles at, a, at each make or break of contact therewith, but also between the said conduetor 0, and the central electrode p. At the same time the constant mechanical impact or hammering action of the vibratory conductor a, effectually prevents the fouling of the electrodes by accretion of carbon upon or between them and thus insures continuous efliciency.

Incidentally my oscillatory conductor 0, may be designated as a multiple spark de vice since in practice it not only causes a duplication of sparks between it and the electrodes, but the vibratory motion is sulficient to further multiply the sparking by its contacting alternately with the electrodes n, n.

In referring herein to my neutral vibratory',conductor c, as interposed.between the electrodes I mean to use the term as intimating that the said conductor intervenes in whole (ir in part between the electrically opposed electrodes. I

' It is obvious that in applying my invention to the various types of spark plugs extant, the form and arrangement of parts may be modified and varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

' iurthermore, the vibratory conductive member 0, may itself be utilized directly as one electrode terminal as in the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in which said conductor is pivotally attached to an extension s", of the shell 8, and the opposed end 19*, of the central electrode p, is curved to correspond to the arc of the circle through which the conductor 0, swings. This arrangement provides of course only for single sparking, but has otherwise all the advantages of the swinging conductive member shown in the other figures of the drawings, and enumerated in this application.

It will be noted that the member 0 is disposed beyond and entirely independent of the central electrode, and swings freely. It is not a pendulous globular member, but

a non-magnetic wire, the ends of which are sprung into openings for their reception, the said ends being engaged with the insulating sleeve.

What I claim as m invention and desire to secure by Letters atent is,

l. A spark plug having electrodes, and a conductor articularly suspended on horizontal portions at its ends with a portion inter posed between the electrodes and free to oscillate across the end of the plug.

2. A spark plug having electrodes, and an v articularly suspended conductor of bail-like form having its ends bent toward each other to form ivotal journals and mounted to allow the ody portion of said conductor to freely oscillate across the central electrode and contact with either of the opposed electrodes.

3. In a spark plug, a shell, an insulating sleeve-therein, electrodes, and an articularlysuspended conductor having its ends bent to form pivotal journals supported in said sleeve to allow the medial portion of the conductor to freely oscillate beyond the central electrode and to contact with either of the opposed electrodes. 7

ROBERT R. HILL Witnesses DOROTHY MIATT, GEO. WM. MIATT. 

